Happy Valentine's Day!!

Today is the day of LOVE!! How FUN is that? I wish I had woke up this morning deciding I wanted to give and recieve more love but sadly.....I didn't. Oh, I had some good lovin' from my hubby but after that, my hormonal imbalances which cause EXTREME overwhelmedness decided to kick in. It's so nice to be able to just stay a victim and blame all of my behavior on being pregnant. You know, as I think about it, my emotions are a bit stronger and more present than before pregnancy but I truly don't see THAT big of a difference. SHHHHHHH, don't tell Chris. Right now, at least, I have an excuse. I figure I'll use it for all it's worth.

Yesterday was my birthday. I am 34 years old. I have been remembering how excited I was over this past year at the thought of having my last child at the age of 28. I was only excited because I am EXTREMELY vain and decided it felt good to think my body would stay thin and the way I wanted it for bascically the rest of my life. I know that with the way I am eating and all that goodness, that the weight gain during this pregnancy won't be too excessive. I just am starting to gain weight and grow a nice little belly. It's so FUNNY to look at yourself from the side and see how different and absract your body is starting to look. I had COMPLETELY forgotten. Maybe soon I can buy a camera and take some pics for you all. I am learning how to find gratitude in this space and really work on any body issues I might be having. WHOA!!

Oh, new info about "The Business of Being Born" for those of you who didn't get to see it up in Ogden last week.

Please spread word of this event to your friends, family and other contacts! This is a must-see for anyone even thinking about having a baby.
You are invited to attend a special benefit screening of
"The Business of Being Born" Taggart Student Center AuditoriumUtah State University in Logan February 27 at 7 p.m.

A discussion panel will follow the movie.contact Sally at 621-4844 with questions or if you'd like to help organize this eventUSU students will be admitted free, but tickets for the public are $5 each and proceeds will be donated to La Leche League Groups of Northern Utah and Logan's own Association for Wise Childbearing. Donations are accepted.The screening will be held in conjunction with the Healthy Body Image Fair sponsored by the Counseling Center at USU and as a lead into events sponsored by the Women's Center honoring Women's History Month.
Birth: it's a miracle. A rite of passage. A natural part of life. But more than anything, birth is a business. Compelled to find answers after a disappointing birth experience with her first child, actress Ricki Lake recruits filmmaker Abby Epstein to examine and question the way American women have babies.The film interlaces intimate birth stories with surprising historical, political and scientific insights and shocking statistics about the current maternity care system. When director Epstein discovers she is pregnant during the making of the film, the journey becomes even more personal.The film's fundamental question: should most births be viewed as a natural life process, or should every delivery be treated as a potentially catastrophic medical emergency?A must-see movie for anyone even thinking about having a baby.Visit www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com for more information

(La Leche League encourages active and alert participation in childbirth - rather than a specific childbirth choice. When mothers know the options available to them, they will be able to make the best choices for their family. Regardless of how babies are born, babies are born to breastfeed, so we are pleased to be one of the recipients of the proceeds of this coming event. Those proceeds will help us to reach out to help all mothers who wish to breastfeed their babies.)

Some additional details on this upcoming screening of "The Business of Being Born":
Tickets: $5 in advance; $7 at the door
Advance tickets can be purchased via PayPal by sending payment to wisechildbearing@yahoo.com
For more info, contact Jennetta at 435.563.8484 or Sally at 801.621.4844.

I am hoping I can make it to this viewing. Again, if anyone wants to car pool....let me know.
I have felt the baby kick more and more the farther along I get. Chris actually could feel it this morning. It was hilarious because I have asked him to feel it before but he said he could never feel it. This morning when the baby kicked and I asked him if he could feel it he stated that he had felt that before but it was so light that he figured it was just gas. We had a good laugh.

I don't know if everyone has heard about what Senator Dayton is trying to do to homebirth. She has decided that she knows best in regards to what is considered "safe" and "unsafe" when delivering at home. If her plan were put into place and the bill passed, 90% of woman would be considered to "high risk" to deliver at home. It is obviously a control issue that is taking place here and remove freedoms for all woman.

Instead of trying to type up all the details here, I will just refer you to a couple great sites that have already written some EXCELLENT information. One is the hypnobabies blog of a friend of mine named Laura. She speaks her mind so BEAUTIFULLY and gives good detail. You can find that info HERE!

There is also an artice that the Deseret News put out a few days ago. Laura is the one on the front picture of the article. You can find that HERE!!

HERE is another article that was sent to one of the Yahoo groups I am part of. It is the RCOG's stand on homebirth. It sounds pretty supportive of it, which is great! HERE is what is going on with us right here in America and what ACOG thinks of homebirth. SCARY with how controlling their stance truly is.

There is an AWESOME blog I get onto everyone now and again. She has a straight forward and VERY INSIGHTFUL response of ACOG's article. I highly recommend you read it when you get the chance.
I hope everyone will read all they can on what is going on. Let's all do what we can to stand up for our rights of freedom to chooce how and where we want to deliver our children. I hope all woman whether homebirthers or hospital birthers will take responsiblity for themselves and their babies by standing up for what they want with the intention of giving all WOMAN the same choice and freedoms.

Well, I had a friend who just recently told me that she does enjoy reading my blog but they seem to be SO LONG!! I was going to try and make them shorter but that obviously isn't going to happen today.
I am feeling so happy and good most of the time. Life has been VERY stressful and busy but I have been grateful that I can role with the punches. I am learning that when it rains in my life, it really POURS!! I hope I am learning quickly and effectively!!

For my raw food friends, I am still eating mostly raw. It, as I have said in the past, depends on the day and what is going on. I feel better than in any of my other pregnancies. We took 2 trips to Vegas last week to pick up cars. One on Friday, then back again on Sunday. I am still busy taking kids to and from places almost everyday, along with homeschooling and fixing up our house. With how crazy life has been, I feel blessed that I can handle life as well as I am. Physical and emotional well being is truly my friend at the moment. But....it's not easy. It has taken discipline to keep my diet as healthy as I want, along with exercising everyday and being painfully honest with myself and choosing to take responsiblity for all my feelings, striving to be as conscience and clear as I possibly can. Once again, I say WHOA!!! I am thankful for the ride but hope it slows down here real soon. I am learning that moving forward with grace and ease, peace and gentility throughout this pregnancy means finding internal peace and grace in the moment, no matter HOW choatic my outside world may be.

Abundant peace,
Rachel
P.S. Blogger won't let me spell check again so.....I am SO SORRY for any spelling errors.

by Rachel Talley

Men's Brains/Woman's Brains

A good friend emailed this to me yesterday. I found it quite FUNNY and so I wanted to share. It looks like the whole video would give you a good laugh. I found it even funnier since life has seemed a bit harder lately. Chris has been SUPER busy, working 6 days a week usually 10 or more hour days. It was FUN for me to watch because the truth is that it holds pretty true to the way men and woman think. So often I forget what goes on in my sweet hubbies brain and decide that he should think and act as I do. He really uses the NOTHING BOX when he gets the chance lately because it's the only time he can really relax after his busy day. Even still though, it seems both of us are going ALL THE TIME trying to find that time when we will get a break.

I have been feeling the baby move ALOT more this week. It seems that it likes to be awake around 5 am. It still feels like gas, to a certain extent. I can tell when it's not though because it is lower in my abdomen and the movements do get stronger with each week. Two days ago, I woke up around 5 and laid there for an hour just feeling the movements and LOVING every minute of it. I had forgotten how COOL it is. When I was first pregnant this time, I remembered really enjoying and BASKING in pregnancy with my previous ones. I was having a hard time trying to figure out why I had felt that way. But....as soon as I started feeling better and then feeling the movements, it became AMAZING for me again. I instantly remembered the joy I found in it all.

I am already starting to feel a bit uncomfortable physically though. Not a big issue, just noticing that my belly is growing. It already feels like an extra weight. With my first, I was thin but I think I actually weight less with this pregnancy than with that one. I am wondering if just being thinner is making the body changes more noticable. I am pretty sure that's the case anyway. I weighed myself on my mother in law's scale the other day and it said I weighted 126. I had weighed 128 at my sister's house about 3 weeks ago now. I am sure it is just the use of different scales. I know I haven't lost any weight, that's for sure and recently I haven't been eating as healthy as I would like so....we'll just see what happens in the weight department in the next few weeks.

Remember how I was talking about the movie by Ricki Lake called "The Business of Being Born?" Well, I found a little snipit with her in an interview. I enjoyed watching it so I thought others might too!!

I just recently recieved some information about when it is showing in Utah. Here it is. I am thinking of going but I am wondering if there might be others who want to carpool.

The Utah Birth Network is proud to present a special screening of The Business of Being Born. Friday March 8 Displays featuring local mother-friendly organizations and The Shape of a Mother open at 5pm, Movie begins at 6pm

Located at Weber State University (Rm 110)

Davis Campus 2750 N. University Park Blvd. Layton, Utah Seating is limited!

Contact Sara Forsberg to purchase tickets 801-643-2633 or saraATutahbirth.net

$10 pre-purchase $15 at the door $40 Utah Birth Network membership + 2 tickets Free at the door to WSU Wildcard holders

Birth: it's a miracle. A rite of passage. A natural part of life. But more than anything, birth is a business. Compelled to find answers after a disappointing birth experience with her first child, actress Ricki Lake recruits filmmaker Abby Epstein to examine and question the way American women have babies. The film interlaces intimate birth stories with surprising historical, political and scientific insights and shocking statistics about the current maternity care system. When director Epstein discovers she is pregnant during the making of the film, the journey becomes even more personal. Should most births be viewed as a natural life process, or should every delivery be treated as a potentially catastrophic medical emergency? Visit www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com for more information

I was SO excited today to pull out some of my old "Power Thought Cards" by Louise Hay. It was SO NEAT to go through them and just let myself feel the words as they spoke to my heart of who I truly am!! I typed a WHOLE bunch up for Chris and I and hung them all around our room. I think they will help us both right now really stayed focused on who we really are and not get lost in the all the lies we keep habitually telling ourselves.

I recieved a quote today in my email that I LOVED! It helped me remember that we are all truly LOVE and have the ability to CONQUER anything our hearts desire.

"Someday, after we have mastered the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love. Then for the second time in the history of the world, we will have discovered fire. " ~Teilhard de Chardin

Isn't that LOVELY? With all the LOVE that is inside us because of God's grace and love for us, we can accomplish and truly BE everything we already are. We just have to REMEMBER and RELEARN which we are all doing each and everyday through our experiences.

I think that is all for today. More soon.

Abundant peace to all,

Rachel

P.S. For some reason blogger won't let me check the spelling so if there are any misspelled words (which I am ABSOLUTELY sure there are), I apologize. Spelling was NOT my best subject in school.

by Rachel Talley

My Answers to Questions

My computer is still broken. I was planning on posting earlier in the week. My computer still is in the process of being fixed and then my hubbies computer kind of gave up the ghost too! LOL!! So I don't know what is up. I am now on my mother in laws computer and wanting to be quick.

I just thought I would post an email I got today from a friend. I have posted about her blog before which you can find HERE! She is planning an unassisted childbirth with a little help from a midwife. She is taking VERY good care of herself and really trying to educate and learn about the needed things to help her have the pregnancy and birth she is really wanting. I enjoyed answering her questions and, of course, LOVE the topic of raw foods and birth. Both are one of my favorite topics of discussion.
The funny part about the email is I just had a dream about her last night. I have never actually met her, we have just become friends through the internet. But....in my dream we were having a discussion similar to the one we wrote today in the emails. Quite interesting, eh?

Here it is! My responses are in bold and her questions in normal writing.

Rachel,
Congrats on gaining less than 8 lbs. in your 17 weeks!! I am very impressed. In fact I have made that my own goal, to copy you. :-) So far I am up 4.5 lbs. after 11 weeks. I haven't gained anything in the past couple weeks, since focusing on raw foods, so I think I can do it.
Annalise,
It is SO FUNNY that you emailed me today. I had a dream about you last night. I dreamt we were sitting together talking about our pregnancies and how we were eating and such. You must have felt my energy or something! So WEIRD! I LOVE it when life happens like that. I even remembered the dream quite vividly this morning. It seemed in my dream we had been friends for a long time and we were really relaxed and at ease with talking to each other. SO FUNNY!!

You know, I gained TONS of weight with my first few babies. It wasn't until my last that I think I was starting to get the whole eating healthy, not gaining too much weight, idea down. With my second I gained 60lbs. on top of being pre-eclamptic. So.....since I know the feeling of being overweight and really feeling out of sorts after the birth of my children, I felt strongly that I didn't want that this time. I am still eating mostly if not all raw, but lately my appetite has increased quite a bit and so if I don't eat, I kind of turn into this lunatic who has to eat NOW or is going to die. It is a really new sensation for me. I am used to eating small meals and so I feel like I am eating SO MUCH lately. I am sure I have some emotional issues and such in regards to pregnancy and food. I have been trying to work on those and that has seemed to help. Mostly, I am trying to find that space of peace with the transitions that are taking place with my body and being ok with it all. It has been 6 years since I was last pregnant. This somewhat feels like a first time pregnancy again. I find myself worrying more than normal and such. The whole experience has just been really interesting for me.

CONGRATS on your weight too!! I figure with the way I eat and the exercise every day, I shouldn't have a problem with too much weight gain. I am just doing my best, as I am sure you are too :), to keep myself fit and healthy and then be ok with the outcome of my weight. I am sure you didn't need this long drawn out answers. It's just FUN to share with someone else who understands the diet thing and both of us be pregnant at the same time.


How are you feeling in general? Are you still drinking your green stuff? I couldn't stomach anything green for a long time but now I can do green smoothies again so it's my goal to have one every day. Maybe I'll grow some wheatgrass.... ?

Um.....lately I have been feeling GREAT compared to how I was feeling. But that didn't really happen until about 2 or 3 weeks ago. Over the past month now, I have been able to exercise and keep up with my kids most of the time. I am pretty tired by the end of the day but that isn't usually until around 8 at night or so. Sometimes I still get in that space where I feel a little freaked that I feel so good. I think I shouldn't be but for the past couple of weeks I will periodically feel the baby move and kick and that's always a good feeling. My kids and I have listened to the babies heartbeat a few times and that is always EXCITING!!

I am still drinking my powdered green drink which I LOVE and use as a prenatal vitamin I guess!! And I drink green smoothie everyday. My bowels don't work near as well as I would like without both of those things. Where I am at right now, it just depends on the day and how I am feeling with what else I eat. Some days I am strict raw and others I may incorporate some steamed veggies or what not. There are days when, compared to how strict my raw diet used to be, I think I could be doing better but....I know this is where I should be at right now and most of the time I feel VERY peaceful about that. I am just playing with it and having a good time eating what sounds good and helps me to feel the most energized and at my best!! I had already decided I wasn't going to eat 80/10/10 throughout this pregnancy and I feel VERY HAPPY with that decision. I actually feel better somedays now than when I was eating that strict which only tells me this is where I should be. Growing wheatgrass is a GREAT idea. I thought about doing that. It is part of my powered greens so I haven't worried too much about it.

What are you doing for prenatals? I am doing my own, which is just weighing, maybe blood pressure, reviewing my diet and reflecting on my spiritual, mental, emotional health. Would you suggest anything more?

I haven't really done anything for prenatals, to be honest. I have listened to heart tones a few times, like I said but other than that I haven't done anything real physical. Like you state, I focus on my spiritual, emotional and physical well being mostly. I am somewhat keeping track of my weight just for my benefit, really. I keep an emotional journal and try to write in that as much as I can. I read and write daily affirmations for myself. I LOVE some of the new ones I have come up with lately. I think they are helping me more than anything else right now, aside from my daily prayers and meditations. I think the BEST thing you can do for yourself in regards to prenatals is what you have already stated. Along, with REALLY educating yourself, which I am VERY SURE you are doing. I think it's important you learn how to recognize any complications and know what to do if any arise. It sounds like you are taking responsibility for yourself and baby and that I think is the IDEAL thing for being in charge of what you want and trying to create it.
What week am I supposed to be able to feel the fundus? Any other markers to be aware of that could confirm gestation?

Feeling the fundus can be different for every woman. If you have had more than one child, your uterus made grow quicker than a woman who it is her first child. Usually between 12-16 weeks you can feel the top of the fundus. By 20 weeks, it usually is flush with the belly button which is the half way mark. The growth rate of the fundus correlates with your weeks + or - 4 cm. That is norm. So any day now you should be able to feel it. It's really AWESOME when you can feel it and know about the measurement you are at. Hopefully, this is all helpful. If you have any other questions, let me know. It is always great to chat with you. God bless,Rachel

Thanks a lot!
Annalise

I really have been so GRATEFUL that I have been feeling so good. Somedays I think I shouldn't be feeling as good as I am. The other day, I only ended up getting about 6 hours of sleep and found that I was a bit more tired than normal, I was still able to function pretty good and stay energized all day.

Oh, and like I mention up top, it has been AWESOME to feel the little butterfly kicks every now and again. I do have to be sitting really still and looking for it to really feel it. It is still SO light and if I didn't already notice how it feels, I might not have even noticed it. I feel all giddy inside every time I feel it. That is my FAVORITE part of being pregnant. Just feeling that little light and life inside you. I LOVE that part of my husband is in me and together we created this sweet, AMAZING little life. SO COOL!!

Abundant peace to all,
Rachel

by Rachel Talley

What Light?

This was an emotionally hard and crazy week. Now I don't even have time to post a ton. I am still feeling so much better and LOVING it!! I have been homeschooling and driving my kids here and there all week.

I am posting one of my new favorite songs. Chris showed me this video a few weeks ago. Listen to the words! It is so BEAUTIFULLY written. It speaks volumes to me about my life.

I am still planning on going to the Birth Into Being conference in California on March 25th-26th. This is the last time I will post this that I am looking for others who would like to come along. It will be REALLY FUN!! I can't wait to go and my sister in law is WAY excited too! Come on ladies! I hope others will hurry and respond and really get themselves prepared.

So....I thought I would share one of my favorite foods that I ate recently. I only ate it once but I am sure there are others out there who are looking for healthier food options. Remember how I was talking about my raw pesto I made. SO YUMMY!! Well, I took some collard greens and cut them into long strips so they were pasta like. Then I took and spiralized some zucchini so it was also pasta like. Then I added some pico de gallo, red bell peppers and fresh baby greens. I cut everything small enough except the collards and zucchini so that it would mix together nicely. Next, I took a sprouted wheat tortilla and some pizza sauce. I spread the pizza sauce all along the tortilla and place it on a skillet on the stove. I added the salad mixture to that and folded the tortilla in half, letting it heat up just enough to keep it's shape. This is my FAVORITE food I have eaten in awhile. I hope others make it and enjoy it as much as I did.

I think I am 16-17 weeks or something. I figure I have gained about 5-8 lbs. I am hoping to only gain 20 lbs. or less through this pregnancy. I am open to letting my body do what it needs to so that I and our baby can be healthy and strong. I have been so HAPPY that I have felt good enough to exercise now. I have noticed that since I have had such an energy boost, I sleep alot better when I exercise everyday. I just feel kind of BLAH when I don't.

I am sorry I don't have more interesting things to post. I am hoping to post again in a few days with some new news. Here is one last video to end my post. I thought this was BEAUTIFUL!! Watch her face and you can DEFINITELY tell when she is having a contraction.

Abundant peace,
Rachel

by Rachel Talley

Yoga & Vaccinations


So....I got back from Vegas on Monday evening. Just in time for our FUN little group we attend. The rest of the week has seemed to be NON stop for me. I am noticing that even though I am feeling SO MUCH BETTER, I still function at a slightly slower pace than I did before pregnancy. I figure I am somewhere in the 15-16 week arena. About a week or so ago, I noticed I was starting to feel better but this week has seemed to be noticeably better. I still NEVER feel hungry. The nausea usually kicks in a bit to tell me it is time to eat. It is still so mild compared to a few weeks ago! Can I just express my gratitude for being in this place? Oh my goodness, it is so lovely!! God and Mother love me!

I have been busy with my AMAZING kids! Trying to get back on track with schooling and such. I went and got a family membership to the local recreation center here in Provo. I was initially excited at the thought of taking water aerobics during this pregnancy. Plus, my kids are EXTREMELY hyperactive (I am sure NO ONE else has children like this) and I was racking my brain trying to think of something that would exude large amounts of energy, aside from our daily walks in the cold. It worked like a charm. The pool is open for 2 hours in the evening and that night they actually went to bed early and fell asleep immediately. Something that is VERY rare in our home. Another blessing that has taken place this week!! AWESOME!!

The only down fall after taking my kids to the pool, in regards to the water aerobics for me, is ALL the LARGE quantities of chlorine in the pool. My goodness, you can smell it as soon as you enter the pool area. It has always bothered me too that as soon as my kids are in the pool for longer than 10 minutes their eyes turn bright red. As a kid, I swam ALL the time and LOVED it!! I am throwing out to the universe that maybe I will find someone or someplace where salt water is used instead of the chlorine. I am not a big fan of salt water either but.....I have heard so many better things about them. My kids have swam in pools with salt water and receive no where near the same effects as the chlorine pools. So, sadly I think I am going to put off water aerobics. I did borrow a pre-natal Yoga video from my dear sister in law which I am excited about. I will keep you posted as to how I like it. She says it's a GREAT workout which I am desperately needing right now. I was a pretty big exercise fiend before this pregnancy so now that I am feeling better, I need to move!!

I have been taking walks with my kids in the cold. I LOVE IT!! We walk to their tutors house which isn't very far away but far enough that it is a pretty good work out. In the Birth As We Know It video, woman are sitting in the snow in bikini's nursing their babies. CRAZY right? I realized though, the longer I spend outside really moving my body, the warmer and warmer I get. SO NICE!! My kids seem to deal with the cold MUCH better than I do, which is interesting to me. They seem to really enjoy playing in the cold with not much on. They will wear a the normal winter gear but.....other than that they don't like all the bulk. They run and play and kick the snow and grab and throw it, no problem. I believe Dr. Christopher's and so many other teachers theories on the cold really boosting our immune systems. I think I have mentioned this before. Oh well. Just another perspective on the same subject.

I have gotten some pretty interesting emails today. I thought I would share a couple of them. The first video is a trailer to a book called The Shock Doctrine. If you choose to watch the video and browse the site, please be warned that the trailer is a bit disturbing. I usually try not to share information of this manner just because it seems a bit scary, well for me anyway. I decided to share it with the hopes that it might inform others about what takes place in order to control and demean whole societies of people. There are obvious ways in which we can surely see how individuals are being brainwashed into believing false ideas because of fear tactics. This takes that idea and expounds it quite a bit and makes the idea much more broad. I have found that the more I know and educate myself in regards to certain subject matter, most of the time, fear then subsides and I can move into a space of understanding, presence of mind, and peace. My hope with sharing this is that this takes place for others also.

Another GREAT email I received is in regards to vaccinations. The header of the email says "Merk drug company vaccines admits injecting cancer viruses. This stunning censored interview conducted by medical historian Edward Shorter for WGBH public television (Boston) and Blackwell Science was cut from The Health Century due to its huge liability--the admission that Merck drug company vaccines have traditionally been injecting cancer viruses (SV40 and others) in people worldwide.This segment of In Lies We Trust: The CIA, Hollywood & Bioterrorism, produced and freely contributed by consumer protector and public health expert, Dr. Leonard Horowitz, features the world's leading vaccine expert, Dr. Maurice Hilleman, who explains why Merck's vaccines have spread AIDS, leukemia, and other horrific plagues worldwide."
Please know that I feel very strongly that vaccinations need to be a prayerful, inspired choice by each individual parents. I do not fault or even judge others in anyway who might choose to vaccinate their children. Again, this is just something that I feel others should be educated about and make a decision based on reviewing both sides. I would never recommend or even think that anyone should make a choice of this magnitude without researching ALL information on the subject that they can get their hands on. I feel so blessed to live in a state where this freedom to choose is still my right and pray that will NEVER change.

You can find the link for the video HERE!!

Again lastly, the diet is still the same. I have tried a few slightly cooked items here and there but.....still feeling the BEST when I eat raw. I did eat a sprouted wheat tortilla pizza last night that was DELISH!! I made some fresh, vegan pesto. I go to the local Asian market and buy the fresh basil for REALLY cheap! I didn't have any pine nuts either so I used cashews. It is still so good. The cashews tend it give it a bit more sweet flavor. I put that on my pizza with some raw olives, red bell peppers, onions, zucchini, spinach, tomatoes, and pineapple. Roll in it and your eating such GOODNESS! Well, that's what I think anyway. It has been extra joyous for me to say my little prayer of gratitude for all the living foods before I eat them. Just a short but sweet prayer of thankfulness for all things God has granted all of us! Loads of light and love then bring goodness to my heart and gladness to my soul!! Try it!! You'll be skipping too!
Abundant peace to all,
Rachel

by Rachel Talley

Lovin' Las Vegas

Hello again, my dear friends. Right now I am sitting on my lovely sisters couch in Las Vegas, Nevada. Chris decided that he needed to take a quick trip to come and pick up some more cars and he thought it would be nice to bring me along to help drive a car back. But.....in the planning process, he realized he had a friend who would be willing to drive a car back for him so I get to hang out here until Sunday when he will be back to pick up more cars and get me too!! Kim and Jeff (my sister who just recently got married) have a cute little town home they are living in right now. They are happy as larks and love being married. Kim is 30 and Jeff is 37 so it has been really FUN to watch their relationship. They seem so content with each other. Partly I think because they have waited so long to finally find someone to share life with that there seems to be an underlying consistent gratitude between them. It is SOOOOOOO cute to watch. They are not all lovey dovey, well especially like I was when I first got hitched, but it is just so FUN for me to watch people and their inner workings and outer relationships!

Everyday when I get on the internet, I scour a few of my favorite blogs to read about some of my favorite topics. There is a new website I recently found. I think a friend tried to share it with me not to long ago but.....for whatever reason I brushed it off and didn't really search the content. This is the first blog I will share. It is put together by a midwife in Oregon. She posts TONS of very educational and ENJOYABLE reading information. I have found that her philosophy on birth is VERY similar to mine. That, of course, makes it that more EXCITING of a read. Her blog is called Sage Femme and for those interested in the topic of an self empowerment in regards to birth, I would recommend her blog as a place of interest for you!!

Now for those interested in raw foods and health, there are 2 blogs that I frequent on a regular basis. One is Angela Stokes blog where she discusses her food intake as well as her health and healing journey. She is fun to read because she posts on a regular basis.

Lastly, is a blog called Freshtopia. I have read quite a bit from their site. One of the reason I enjoy it so much is because it is VERY well written and ENTERTAINING! I am EXTREMELY computer illiterate so I have enjoyed sites that seem to be very computer literate and well written. They have TONS of intriguing videos for your viewing pleasure. The hostess of the videos is AMAZINGLY GORGEOUS and SASSY! I like her alot. Everything from the site just seems to be so well put together and, for me, just a joy to read and watch when I get the chance. Of course, I have lots of other sites and blogs that I visit on a consistent basis but....I will share those at a later date. You can patiently wait for the next time I decided to share. No one pee your pants because you are so excited. LOL!!

I can't remember where I found this video. (so sorry to the person who's site I found it on) I wanted to share it though because I think it portrays how easy it really is to have a baby. I remember when I was first pregnant and my midwife mentioned to me that having a baby was so easy a woman could do it on her front porch if she wanted and no one would even notice that was what she was doing. The sounds the woman in this video is making, I decided, were probably mostly from the shock of deliver her child in Ikea. Not that what she is doing is hard work, it just seems so fast and easy!! Someone, from the other site I got it from, made a funny comment about how she probably ended up delivering in the store just because she couldn't find her way out. SO TRUE!! For anyone who has ever been to Ikea, it can end up being a HUGE MAZE where all your Alice In Wonderland fears become a reality. Or maybe that's just me. Anyway, here it is!! Oh, there is some bloody water, I am sure from her amniotic fluid so be aware!

Another thought I had. Did anyone read about the chemical dumpings that were taking place in California? I just recieved an email about it the other day. You can read the whole article HERE!! I have known for some time that things like this take place all around us and most of the time without our even knowing. I don't like to be the bearer of fear and bad news but....this is something that effects so many people and can so many health threatening or maybe even life threatening effects. I hope everyone reads it and stays informed. I am trying to do what I can to keep abreast to help stand up for what I believe in when the situation arises. Here are a few scary highlights from the article.

Thousands Exposed to Poison by Government's Aerial Spraying

"In Monterey, approximately 100,000 residents were exposed to untested chemicals to control the mating habits of less than 750 moths. In Santa Cruz County, over 100,000 residents will be exposed between 11/06/07 – 11/09/07 to untested chemicals to control the mating habits of less than 9,000 moths. This is not a one time application, but will continue monthly beginning again in February, for nine months, and then repeated for up to a total of three years. Again, this program designed to eradicate the moth at best will only control the moth's mating habits; it will not eliminate the moth. At worst, the program will be ineffective, cost tax payers millions of dollars, and cause permanent disability to residents and their pets. All this harm is over a little moth that has yet to cause even $1 of damage in California."

Oh, another, what looks like could be, a really cool birth video on the market. I guess Ricki Lake has put together a movie called "The Business of Being Born." I was just forwarded the trailer this morning. I thought I would go ahead and post it here for all to see. I was just showing it to my sister with the hopes that since she lives in Vegas she will go and see the preview they will be having at UNLV on the 18th. I think all the info for that should be on the site. If you are reading this and for some reason can't find it there, email me and I will forward you the info.

I hope everyone had a LIVELY and HAPPY New Year! We sure did! Last night, all of us went and ate at The Spice Buffet at Planet Hollywood. I LOVE this buffet because they have a VERY nice salad bar and then a Mexican section with LOADS of pico de gallo and guacamole. Chris goes for the seafood, which he said wasn't too great last night. But....I still relished my salad and DELICIOUS pineapple. While I am here with my sister, we are planning on going to Go Raw! A local raw food restaurant here in Vegas. They do have SCRUMPTIOUS food also!! Maybe tonight we will go and feast there. Until next time.

Blessings of Constant Bliss,
Rachel

by Rachel Talley

Throwing Off the Old for the New

"Every loss in life I consider as the throwing off of an old garment in order to put on a new one; and the new garment has always been better than the old one."

~Hazrat Inayat Khan Gayan
This quote is something I am DEFINITELY learning right now in life. I am realizing how addicted I have become to things, thoughts, false ideas, people, even emotions. Every time I step into a new space of growth and remove the old layer that I no longer need, I am consistently worried that it is going to feel painful or I might lose something that has too much significance for me to let it go! I soon learn, through the process, what a lie that is that I keep telling myself. It's kind of like when you lose or misplace something for an extended period of time and then you find it. When you finally find it, you realize how well you did without it and that life went on probably with you not even missing it.
This is what releasing of old emotional and spiritual baggage has felt like lately, for me. Every time I get to that place where I think, "I can't let go of that. I need it. It's helped me for so long and now if I let go I will miss it WAY to much and I won't be able to function without it." When I hear this cycle through my head, it am learning to recognize the lie that it is. As soon as it enters, I start the process of prayer and asking for the truth of seeing things as He sees them. Then asking Him to replace the false belief pattern with one that emanates His LOVE and LIGHT and TRUTH. When I do this, there seems to be NO pain at all. What I thought I desperately needed, is instantly replaced with new and life giving ideas and thoughts and pure, unadulterated peace. It really is THAT SIMPLE!! I think it might be FINALLY sinking in, the idea that if it isn't simple to understand and easy to apply, it really isn't a God given universal truth.
I was searching the internet the other day on info and sites which talk about unassisted childbirth. I found a GREAT one that a woman named Laura Shanley put together called Bornfree! I am learning that is another word for unassisted childbirth. I really LOVED scouring her site for new and educational info. She has some AWESOME videos that were really FUN to watch. One of my favorites is one where Ina May Gaskin is discussing childbirth. Ina May is considered one of the most educated leaders in regards to midwifery. One of my favorite books she has written is called "Spiritual Midwifery." It is one of the first books I ever read in regards to midwifery. I thought I would go ahead and post all 3 videos here for your viewing pleasure. I just know when I go to a blog or site, I am so grateful when they have just posted the videos instead of sending me somewhere else. It makes life just that much easier.
Ok, so after I made the comment about how easy it is to post the videos, I can't seem to get them to embed on my page. I am not sure what is up so you can watch Video 1, Video 2, and Video 3 by clicking on them. I hope you enjoy!
The raw food has still been TONS of FUN!! Overall, I think like I stated on my last post, I am feeling better. I am still pretty consistently nauseated but....the nausea isn't NEAR as bad as it had been. I can function at a MUCH higher pace than previously. I am still all raw and having a PARTY all the time. A good friend and I went up to Omar's a few days ago. It was so DIVINELY DELICIOUS!! I have been really wanting to go up there for about a month now. He is in a new location which is basically across the street from his old place. It is MUCH more serene and BEAUTIFUL! There is the quiet tranquility that resides there. I normally just relish in being at his place and slowly enjoying the food and atmosphere but this time was the BEST so far, I think.
I hadn't seen Omar in awhile so we caught up on new thoughts and ideas. I told him about the pregnancy. He actually guessed it before I even mentioned it. I think he noticed my belly though. Then he immediately stated it was a girl. Every single person I have told about the pregnancy, which has been quite a few at this point, has said it is a girl!! I think Chris won't let himself believe it because there is a part of him that wants another girl so badly. We'll we will see in about 5 1/2 months won't be. I do not plan on getting an ultrasound so.....it will be a waiting game.
At Omar's we ate his YYYYYUUUUUMMMMMMMYYYYYY Curried Seaweed Rolls, Pizza, and Falafal Bowl which I am pretty sure is still my favorite. I have really gotten to the point in my diet where I NEVER make gourmet raw foods. I know I have already said this before but if it takes me longer than 5 minutes to make it, I won't. That is why going up to Omar's is just so EXCITING and INVITING!! Thanks Omar for making my week just that much more AWESOME!
Another friend of mine has a GREAT little blog that I LOVE to read. One of her recent posts was where she was discussing listening to a raw food/homebirth teleconference I did awhile back. One of my friends (whom I helped deliver), her mom, and I were had a BLAST talking about the benefits of raw foods in pregnancy and birth and the outcomes of babies and moms from eating them. Well, on her blog she was stating how she LOVED what Judy had stated in regards to Gina's birth. She was hoping and praying that it would be UNEVENTFUL and it WAS! My friend, Annalise, is hoping that her pregnancy and birth goes the same way. I am NOW on that same bandwagon. Along with so many other intentions I have made and keep replaying daily in my heart and mind, my new affirmation is that my birth and pregnancy will be UNEVENTFUL, DELICIOUS, and NUTRITIOUS!! I know that sounds a bit dorky but.....that's me! I LOVE IT!!
I hope everyone is gearing up for the New Year. We are planning on having the time of our lives, loving and connecting with each other. That is how I want to bring in the New Year. Let's all start it off with a BANG of renewed hope for ourselves, loved ones, for all humanity and life upon our dear planet Earth. Let's just all open our hearts to the ultimate connection we can with ourselves, our Higher Power and each other. To this year, loving a bit deeper, being vulnerable a bit more often, and finding the resolve to progress on a path of peace and forgiveness for all!!
Abundant peace to all,
Rachel

by Rachel Talley

Merry Belated Christmas

I am so sorry about the delay in posting. I did really want to post on Christmas and wish everyone a VERY MERRY one but.....there have been some glitches. Thankfully my AMAZINGLY computer whiz brother is getting the problem fixed. Some of the pictures may not come up properly for awhile but other than that, things should work as normal.

Did anyone celebrate and connect even deeper with loved ones on the solstice moon? I sure did. I thought it was SO BEAUTIFUL right before Christmas. Chris and I just cuddled each other and our children and thanked God for such a GORGEOUS evening sky and such deep connection. I am pretty sure that this sweet spirit inside of me is a FULL MOON baby. Even though we thought we were done with the whole baby thing, I often thought if I ever wanted to get pregnant again it would be on a full moon where the pull and draw from the universe was so strong that nothing can separate us from our deepest passions and desires.

I thought it would be so FUN to post some cute pictures of our Christmas morning. We had SO MANY gifts!! Some very dear, sweet people found out we were planning on putting any extra money into the fix up of our house and so they decided to pick us as a sub-for-santa family. It was AWESOME! My kids had NEVER had so many gifts. I think it was almost like going to Disneyland. So.....Chris gets out the camera to take pictures. He takes 2 pictures and then accidentally drops it on the floor. It has now become FOREVER broken. The little lens thing won't close. We both started laughing and then moved on. Oh well. Hopefully, my kids long term memory works REALLY WELL because that is all they are going to have when they get older. LOL!! Christmas was so GREAT! I love the season TONS and TONS! Each year I am just reminded of all the love, gratitude, and peace that is spread from each of us. I feel all tingly just thinking about it.

I have a few fun things I wanted to share with everyone. I happened to be watching Oprah about a week ago, something I haven't done in I can't remember how long. (it was a really feeling sick day so all I could was stare at the TV to not puke) Well, there is the woman named Priscilla Dunstan on it. She was discussing how hard it had been for her when her first baby was born REALLY understanding what her baby wanted and how to meet it's needs. It comes out that Priscilla has phonographic hearing, which means she can hear things others can't. She started listening to what her as it made sounds BEFORE it started crying. She found that her baby was talking to her. She did TONS of research on it for 8 years and found that the talking her baby made was pretty consistent with every other baby and there were a few basic sounds the each baby made that actually meant something in regards to what it might need. So then, she made a video and a little booklet to help other Mom's and Dad's understand the sounds and their meanings. It's called the Dunstan Baby Language and I got it for Christmas. I haven't watched it yet but did see some good footage on Oprah. I am REALLY excited for Chris and I to watch it together so he can understand it too! I hope everyone with small babies or expected a small baby will look into it.

The other item I am anxious to share, I have already mentioned a couple of times I think. The other gift I requested for Christmas was the Birth As We Know It video. So.....Chris and I watched it last night and I LOVED it. Chris even liked it. I had to somewhat coerce him to watch it but he said he was really glad he did when we were done. I wholeheartedly believe almost all of what is taught by Elena in the video and on her website. The SO GREAT news is that I am planning on going to her conference in LA in March. She is actually holding a class a day after the raw film festival. If I can somehow raise or produce enough money, I would like to go to both but....we'll see about that. I am going to be working VERY HARD at trying to consciously create that one. As of right now, I have my lovely sister in law Yulia coming with me. One of the reasons I am posting this is because I am wondering if there might be anyone else out there who would be interested in going. I am trying to round up, at least, 2 more people to help pitch in for gas. I am open to having even more than that come. The more the merrier I say. Then we can all split the costs of things. I am hoping to be able to stay with a friend out there that I haven't even contacted yet. If that doesn't work out, then I guess we will be doing the hotel thing and probably only be able to afford the 2 day conference.

If you might be interested, PLEASE email me ASAP. We have to send a $100 deposit to hold our spots within the next few weeks. Anyone who might be interested, this will be SUCH a INSPIRING, EMPOWERING, LIFE CHANGING, FUN trip. I wouldn't miss it!!

Now about the diet. I am eating all raw. I really am feeling so precious about it right now. It feels like a Christmas gift I am giving myself. This has been going on for about a month now. I think, let's all cross our fingers and say lots of prayers, that my nausea is subsiding a bit. It is still not completely gone but....I still just keep a prayer of gratitude in my heart at all times that I am feeling better and better every day.

This last week, 2 days before Christmas, I ran a fever. I had forgotten how awful fevers feel. I think this is part of the reason I am feeling better though. I know I moved a TON of unwanted energy. It was/is AWESOME!! I bawled and prayed most of the day. I could tell just so much was moving and stirring inside of me and then I awoke in the morning to feel SO GOOD!! Good 'ol cleansing!!

Right now, I am CRAVING avocados like crazy. I can't seem to get enough of them. Today I have 2 big salads with avocado and OJ as the dressing. YUMMOOOOOOO!!!! Plus, I am SO LICKING MY LIPS on my fresh squeezed OJ. I had forgotten about our little family favorite of putting frozen blueberries in as ice cubes. The blueberries seep into the juice and then become soft and SCRUMPTOUS! You should try it.

Ok, I think I'm done for tonight. As I type this, I am looking down at my gut which is growing. It is funny because my uterus is growing but not enough to really tell. Inside it is pushing up my hernia which now looks quite LARGE to me. Gratefully, I just look pregnant and farther along than I really am. I had someone ask me the other day if I was 5 months. SO SAD!! Oh well. At least now I don't have to wear my hernia belts and when I don't and someone asks if I am pregnant, I can say I am.
One last thing.....my sister got married last week. CONGRATS Jeff and Kim. I LOVE YOU BOTH TONS!! I hope you are having a BLAST in Costa Rica. I sure wish I was there with you!

Abundant peace,
Rachel

by Rachel Talley

Happiness is Spiritual

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude."
~Dennis Waitley

I thought this was a FUN little quote to share with you all. I almost went too long again before I posted. Time is just flying right now. I am sure it is the time of year! We are all so busy with the holidays and gathering food and gifts for the upcoming festivities. You might think that we are doing the same thing in our home but....in actuality, we are getting heat put in!! Yeah! We haven't had it for a few weeks now so we have been carrying electric heaters from room to room. Not so warm! Then with the help of some AMAZING friends and family, we are getting a whole new heating system that should be up and running in the next couple of days. I am so EXCITED! Who knew that Christmas would be so neat because we get heat? (I didn't mean that to rhyme but kind of fun that it did.) So....my sweet hubby is working hard at doing his normal car business routine on top of really getting going on fixing up our house. This is the BEST Christmas EVER!!

I know with my last post I thanked lots of people. This time I want to say a HUGE thank you to all the people who have gotten involved in putting time and money into really helping us make our house a home. Words really can't even express our gratitude to you all!! I am not even sure if anyone who is helping will even read this but.....I sure feel good just writing it and sending it out there for whoever to read.

Don't you just LOVE that quote I posted up top? I was thinking about that quote and comtemplating real happiness. I am sure that the concept it teaches isn't really new to any of us but do we really believe it? Have we gotten to a place in our lives where we have searched for happiness in other avenues and have yet to find what we are looking for? I sure have!! I think I am just barely getting the idea deep into my heart so I can put it into practice.

It made me think of the Christmas season and all the getting and giving we receive. My family has a blog that we all post on to keep each other abreast of our lives happenings. My brother Brian just recently sent a really cool link to a site that discusses what true consumerism means in our society here and now. On the site, there is a VERY INFORMATIVE and EDUCATIONAL and CUTE little video put together called "The Story of Stuff." This site has been going around a lot lately so maybe you have already seen it but....if you haven't, WATCH IT!! I just loved it. Chris and I watched it together, after I had already watched it once with my kids, and the idea isn't new to us but reinforced what we already believed that really want to apply to our lives. I think it can be beneficial to watch even before we do our Christmas shopping. It might help us to be a little more aware of what we are buying and why we are doing so.

After watching the video, I understood even more deeply where true happiness does come from and how I can bring more of it into my life. We have been taught and trained in such a way that our ideas and concepts of our world are SO ULTIMATELY skewed that it seems almost impossible to turn off the vicious wheel of consumerism and truly learn a better, more peaceful, more productive way of life for all living things. One last thought that doesn't even apply to what I am talking about here. I am looking our my window right now and it is snowing. OH MY GOODNESS!! It is GORGEOUS! I just had to share that because I was just feeling overwhelmed with how BEAUTIFUL and AWESOME it is!!

Well, for those interested, I have actually been eating more raw food than I have in awhile. I have gone the last several days eating all raw. It has been interesting. I have not purposely chose to really incorporate all raw, it has just kind of gone that way. I have found that eating heavier cooked just DOES NOT even sound good to me. It's been funny because I will see something cooked and then taste it thinking I will like it but....it ends up tasting really gross to me. I had thought to myself, "Maybe I want to really try to eat 100% strict raw throughout this pregnancy." Then I came back to where I am at and really enjoying and thought "No way would I want to put any more pressure on myself right now than I can handle." It was such a refreshing feeling to feel this way. The funny thing though is I still have a hard time with greens unless in a smoothie or covered in a tasty dressing. Even then, who knows if I will like it. LOL!!Plus, even when I eat cooked I must admit, I feel it is still very healthy and good for me. I stay away from processed foods and everything I eat is a whole food with very little, if none, additives or preservatives. I thought about keeping up with the charting of what I eat but unless I write it down, I have a hard time always remembering.
I will tell you that right now I am LOVING my fresh squeezed OJ. This is my favorite time of year and that is one of the reasons. I drink TONS everyday and it is YUMMMMMYYYYY!! I must go now because my nausea is kicking in and I want some OJ!

Peace to you all,
Rachel

by Rachel Talley

Grace & Ease

WHOA!! Has it really been a full week since I posted last? Sorry guys. This week has been a CRAZY one. It started off, in the VERY early Monday morning hours, with my dear sweet friend delivering a BEAUTIFUL 8 lb. little boy. She was SUCH a trooper and hung in there when the going got REALLY tough. She had this MIRACULOUS water birth that she just wouldn't give up on! Her husband was absolutely AMAZING in giving her the LOVE and SUPPORT she desperately needed. Then, at the last minute, her gifted mother showed up to help when we needed her most. Things couldn't have turned out better, I believe. I was, once again, honored to be part of such an AWESOME event. Thank you Lisa and Jason. You are both people I feel blessed to have a part of my life and have learned so much from you both.

Then, on Tuesday, I awoke with the overwhelming need to vomit profusely. This went on for 2 whole days. It really did seem like forever. Up to that point, I hadn't even vomited yet. I had felt my normal consistent, severely annoying nausea but....no running to the toilet for relief. I was quite happy to had gone for so long. That hadn't been the case in previous pregnancies. During those 2 days, I could keep NOTHING down. Eating already feels burdensome but this was just AWFUL!
I have been contemplating and praying about why I might just "all of a sudden" decide to vomit and then have it stop so abruptly. (By Thursday morning, it finally stopped only to have me return to my previous constant nausea state.) I really felt that it wasn't some kind of virus or bacteria. That was my first thought. So then......I moved onto what it might be emotionally. I still am a bit undecided. I think it was a compilation of feelings and thoughts that brought me to that point. I think maybe part of my feelings were brought up by Lisa's birth realizing that in about 6 months, I would be doing that same act myself. I still have some strong feelings on this birth that I am trying to work out and really release. I still feel torn on so many different levels. My acceptance level of the situation is much stronger than before which is GREAT!! But....I am still trying to really get into the groove of letting go of some false beliefs I have let creep in over the past few years. It's been FUN because it's really down in the dirt, nitty gritty stuff I have been needing to look at for awhile. So I figure what a lovely way to just look at it honestly and move on. I must say at first it felt a bit more painful but the more I remain in that space of peace and tranquility and really try to remove any drama OH.......SO MUCH EASIER life becomes. It's like taking a really deep breath and then being so grateful when that gentle relaxed feeling comes over your whole body. I just LOVE that!!

The other thing that helped my move through my nausea was my SO GIFTED energy worker friend Becky. Let me just say HOW MUCH I love her!! She is one of my best friends and has been there for me through thick and thin! Thank you BECK! The morning after she worked on me was one of the BEST mornings so far in this pregnancy. Anything I might know in regards to energy work and spiritual health I learned from her. SO NEAT!!

Ok, so then, by Thursday I was feeling MUCH better so now it was time to plan the wedding shower for my sister Kim. I had already put some effort into it but with how gross I had been feeling, I had procrastinated quite a bit. I spent the next couple of days trying to gather all I might need for that. It turned out so FUN with the help of so many other people. Thanks Mom, Audrey, and Melinda for doing the games! And my AWESOME friend Shauna helped to bring the food!! Then we don't want to forget Yulia, who let us hold it at her home. She cleaned and scrubbed to make it so nice for us! THANK YOU ALL!!! I was really grateful for the shower. It gave me an opportunity to tell my sister how much I LOVED her in front of so many other people. Of course, being pregnant, I had a bit of a meltdown where I really cried and told her how AMAZING and BEAUTIFUL she is. But.....it was really good for me and her, I think.

So....today I am relaxing and just loving my children and hubby. We are spending time together and making some very needed choices on our future. I feel so GRATEFUL, (and I know you have all heard this before but I am going to say it again), to be able to turn my heart and thoughts to my Heavenly Father and Mother and Savior and ask them for help in answers we are looking for. I truly know with their help only gifts of LOVE and PEACE will be sent our way.

Lastly, I have come up with a affirmation for this pregnancy right now. I was needing some help really getting into a space of feeling good consistently so this is what I came up with and thought I would share. Maybe it can help others with same it has helped me, which has been IMMENSELY!!

I will move forward in this pregnancy with GRACE and EASE, PEACE and GENTILITY! All is PERFECT! I am WHOLE!

I know it's pretty basic and simple but THAT'S ME!! Oh, and since I have been thanking everyone for being just so AMAZING, I feel it's important that MOST IMPORTANTLY, I thank my husband. So.....THANK YOU CHRIS!! I LOVE YOU! Thank you for EVERYTHING and I know you know exactly what that means.

I LOVE life!! I LOVE my family! I LOVE you all!! I am blessed that you are all part of my life and teach me SO MUCH!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!

Abundant peace to you all,
Rachel

by Rachel Talley

Adventerous Day

I am currently on my mother-in-laws computer typing this because our computer is on the fritz. I am just sitting here feeling grateful that I can post from any computer. It doesn't really matter. What a blessing.

I don't really have any exciting news to share. I just thought I would post before time got away. I am still nausea. Last night was pretty bad!! The sickest I had felt yet. I almost threw up but not quite. That was nice.
Yesterday was more FUN than usual for me. I actually left my house and went out. Can you believe it? I was feeling a bit of cabin fever so even though I felt as sick as usual, I just HAD to get out and see the world. I think I had almost forgotten there was one. So.....Chris and I went out to eat with his cousin and new wife. They are SUCH a cute couple and to be honest, quite perfect for each other. I really LOVE Asuka. They have great Miso soup and then I get these special hand rolls that they make just for me. What they are is avocado and cucumber wrapped in seaweed in a hand roll style. I ask for no rice and that's it. When I first ordered this they thought I was crazy but the sweet chef made it and it was PERFECT! For those of you who LOVE sushi but aren't eating it for health reasons or what not, you should really try this. I think you will find it MUCH to your liking. It has done a great job of fulfilling all of my sushi craving needs without having to eat all the stuff I know isn't good for me.
Then we went and did some shopping for our house and odds and ends. For the first time in our 12 1/2 years of marriage, we actually bought Christmas ornaments for our tree. All the others had been gifts and for awhile I was part of an ornament exchange. But....that was when we were very first married. We had SO MUCH fun!! I was grateful that I just felt good enough to get around. Sometimes when I feel really sick but just have to get out of the house, I ride on one of those electric wheel chair carts. I feel I have a good enough excuse, you know, I would just tell the people that work there that I need it to prevent vomit from entering their store floor. Riding around in one of those always makes the trip even more adventerous!! Everyone can laugh all they want. I am slowly learning that I have no shame.

Yesterday I ate:
1 quart water
1 quart green smoothie
water + powered greens
miso soup
3 veggie hand rolls
LOTS of sun dried mulberries
1/2 the container of freeze dried veggies
2 Curry powersticks
water + powered greens

Today I ate:
1 quart water
water + powered greens
1 1/2 quarts green smoothie
lots of blueberries
Raw Cheesy sauce dipped with celery (this is on the recipe page of my site)
some freeze dried veggies
1 asian pear
2 curry powersticks
water + powered greens
Please know that I am drinking water all day long, not just in the morning. I figure I get in 3 quarts to a gallon everyday. Well, I don't know what else to write about. Nothing much else has been going on. Life is kind of boring lately. I will post again when something exciting happens.
Abundant peace to all,
Rachel

by Rachel Talley

Conscious Conception

Today I am feeling overwhelmed. Not for any particular reason, I just feel sad. Since we have found out about the pregnancy, I have cried pretty much every day. There are MANY reasons why I might be crying but I am feeling that none of them are really justifiable ones. I was talking to a friend telling her that I have days when I want to blog and complain. That's it!! Just talk about how crappy I am feeling or go on in my little drama land. I am realizing that this behavior doesn't really serve me or anyone around me. It seems it has been so much harder for me to find that place of grace and gratitude. Part of me feels guilty that I feel this way and the other part says "screw it" what does good vibes and feelings really matter anyway. So.....then I put myself together and look at what might be going on honestly and sometimes it is quite painful but the end result is ALWAYS beneficial. Once I am in this space, I must admit, it becomes much easier to be grateful and in a place of peace.

A few days ago, I was craving some yummy raw dish, HARD CORE! I asked Chris to go by The Food Garden and see if there was anything that sounded good to me. When he got there he found some DELICIOUS green soup that Julia had made. OH MY GOODNESS, GUYS!! Go get some. It is so SCRUMPTIOUS! It fulfilled every desire I had for something raw. It was light with so many different tastes an spices. I LOVED the ginger in it! Then for dessert I had some of Raw Melissa's Tropical Ice Cream. That was AMAZING also! I just want to thank the girls at The Food Garden for the efforts they make to have raw dishes available for people like me who might be in need. You guys are AWESOME and you are doing a WONDERFUL thing for our community. All the woman who run the joint are good friends of mine who are strong, powerful, gifted woman. They are the BEST at what they do! THANK YOU!

You know me, I found some more really FUN videos. The first one is about conscious conception. It discusses some theories behind what takes place within our bodies with the creation of a child before the sperm even hits the egg. It is FASCINATING to me!! It is teaching the importance of taking care of ourselves in all aspects of life even BEFORE, months before, we even get pregnant!! I think all of you will enjoy it too!

Then I don't know if any of you woman have ever heard a nurse or midwife comment about what station your baby is at when you are in labor. Have you ever wondered what that exactly means? The station of the baby during labor is where the babies head is located in position to the pelvis. When I first started apprenticing, this was a hard one for me to figure out. But once you recognize where the ischal spine is you know you are at 0 station and then you just register how much higher or lower the baby is in relation to that. It's pretty cool stuff, well to me anyway. Hopefully the rest of you will at least find it somewhat entertaining.

Lastly, I just found a FUN one that shows the power of creation in utero. It's just interesting and exciting to watch. Enjoy!!

I know the last couple posts I haven't mentioned the food thing. Just thinking about food makes me feel nauseated so....to have to remember what I ate is REALLY hard for me right now. But....I will do my best to remember what I ate yesterday and hope that is enough for right now. I will try and post what I eat as much as I can because I have had some people email me and tell me they like that I do. I just hope you'll be understanding if I don't post it and know when I am feeling better, hopefully soon, I will probably be more on the ball with it.

Tuesday, November 27th:
1 quart water
1 1/2 quarts green smoothie
apple juice + green powder
several pieces of dried mango
2 pieces of tropical fruit leather
a vegan veggie burrito from El Azteca
1 quart Julia's green soup
apple juice + green powder

Smells are about to do me in!! My nose is super powered and for any of you who have been nauseated while pregnant can understand, I am sure. Sometimes it feels like a cruel joke that is placed on pregnant woman so God can have a good laugh. I am kidding, of course, with that comment. A friend of mine mentioned that he believed that when we are pregnant we are smelling with our spiritual noses. Basically that means that because of the cleansing and rebuilding that is taking place during pregnancy, our sense of the world around us is heightened to a place that is actually as it should be. When we are not pregnant, our senses then have the ability to be dulled. I thought it was an interesting idea and just thought I would share it with y'all.

Well, until next time.
Abundant peace,
Rachel

by Rachel Talley

Relishing in Feeling

I seem to have nothing but time on my hands, as of late. I usually don't even leave my bed until sometime between 10 and noon. So....during that time, I am most likely on the internet scouring for interesting or inviting things to keep me entertained while I do my best to refrain from throwing up.

This morning I was remembering a time several months ago when my sister Kim showed me a new musician she has recently heard of. We laid on my bed, in my embarrassingly dirty room, just being close to each other while relishing in the new sounds we were fascinated with. I immediately was taken with Regina Spektor's music. My interest was peaked even more when I learned a bit about her life and where she came from.

I no longer live in the world of singledom and therefore haven't had any extra time on my hands to just sit back and really enjoy new music, well until recently. I know in my last post I spoke of Millie and I bonding over enlightening listen pleasure together so I thought I would go ahead and carry on that theme. I have found during this pregnancy that music seems to fill me differently than I remember it ever doing before. I do feel much more vulnerable in most areas of my life right now but I seem to just relish, more than ever, really FEELING music and understanding it's written and unwritten meanings. For some of my brothers and sisters, I think this is a more common occurrence than it has been for me.

When I first started noticing this change inside myself, I found that I would fight my feelings. I would do my best to "take control" and refuse to let myself feel the joy, sadness, peace, or love or whatever that I might be feeling. Being the control freak that I am, when I feel the need to release in the form of tears, I believe I have mastered the ability to hold back the flood. Which I have found to be quite a disheartening thing, not a happy one.

I am still learning to truly let myself feel ALL my feelings, the whole gamete and spectrum of them. Most recently when these sensations come on it feels as if a dam has broken lose and there is NO WAY to hold back what just came flowing out of it. I seem to no longer have the ability to stop the flood that I, in the past, had perfected from becoming present and surfacing.

I am intrigued by my inability to have any control over it any longer. To be honest, I am actually learning to be grateful for it. I am recognizing and realizing that it might actually be a gift from God to help me really look at myself a bit better and with a bit more clarity. I am sure that what I am seeing and feeling now is the person I have always been. It is just beginning to shine like I never let it before. I am apologize if I am not making any sense. I felt a strong need to share this with others. I hope you enjoy the videos and even go to Regina's site and listen to more of her music. If you don't appreciate her music, then I pray you will return to the sounds and songs that sing to your heart and truly LET IN and RELEASE from each note and word to see the NEW YOU whom you might have lost for a time.

Abundant peace to all,
Rachel

by Rachel Talley

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Since tomorrow is Thanksgiving, I have been contemplating my life!! Today my daughter came to me and asked if she could watch a video on You Tube by Sarah McLachlan. She LOVES her music, as do I. We sat together listening and singing! We shared a moment of LOVE and HARMONY between us that was so DELIGHTFUL! This is one of the things I am grateful for. I have found in my life, these times are so SPECIAL that when our sweet memories come forth, this is what we really remember. I LOVED listening to this and letting myself FEEL my feelings and shed tears and rejoice in such BEAUTIFUL music. Here it is!!

Then a good friend sent me this link to this SO CUTE little boy who COMPLETELY understood who our Savior is and how much God LOVES us. This brought tears to my eyes and just filled my heart with COMPASSION and UNDERSTANDING for all the AMAZING children who are so in tune with themselves and who God is. Enjoy this as well.I feel so BLESSED, just like Logan, to have a Savior who LOVED all of us enough to give himself to us more FULLY than any other human being could. I feel a closeness and grace to Him in my life that I have NEVER felt before. The bond I feel towards Him, my Heavenly Father and Mother has become tighter and stronger than at any other time in my life.

Also, the LOVE and SUPPORT I have felt from friends and loved ones over the past few month has been another AWESOME gift. I know I have said it before recently but I will say it again. THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! Some of you have emailed me or made comments sending your thoughts and sweet words my way. I just feel overwhelmed at times by it all!! Please keep it coming, I still need it and I hope I can do the same for each of you!

Lastly, my life would not be as WONDERFUL and GLORIOUS as it is without my loving, gifted, thoughtful, empathic, compassionate, and giving husband. Of course, I could go on and on about how much I love him and how he has stood by my side and helped me through so much but I don't think my brain is even big enough to fully comprehend it. I just know what I feel in my heart and it is full of GRATITUDE for him in my life. He has shown me part of myself that I didn't even know existed and how when I need to feel more LOVE for myself, I only have to look through his eyes at how much he LOVES me. I LOVE you, Chris!! I hope your tummy and heart are FULL this Thanksgiving.

Abundant peace to you all,
Rachel

by Rachel Talley

Water Babies & Thankfulness

A couple years ago I went to a water birth conference that was AMAZING! There was a woman who taught a few classes on water birth. She is HIGHLY EDUCATED and INSPIRATIONAL to listen to. Her name is Cornelia Enning. She has spent years researching birth and has found some new research that I had never heard of before in regards to birth. I remember her teaching the idea of the importance of catching your own baby and the significance of the bonding that takes place just by that one act in delivery.

She also teaches about Water Babies. This is the idea that babies are born knowing how to swim and be one with water. She mentioned working out our own emotional issues and rebirthing with water. This is only one of the reasons for the water babies. It is a very educational website with LOADS of information that quite intriguing. She even has a page of recommended reading which I am excited to purchase a few.

Here is another video which someone demonstrates the idea. This is a twin birth that is probably one of my favorite videos I have found yet. I really LOVE this one.

Here is another video that just shows statistics and factual information about birth. Isn't You Tube great? It has been REALLY FUN for me to show the videos and aid in educating others through them. Our modern technology is just SO COOL!!

Here is what I ate over the last 2 days.

Friday, November 16th:
1 quart water
water & powered greens
2 bananas
2 quarts green smoothie
bag of raw flax crackers a friend brought me
Corn tortilla and hummus wraps
1 cup Edemame

Saturday, November 17th:
1 quart of water
apple juice & powered greens
1 1/2 quarts Naked Juice Greens drink
2 apples
5 Clausen pickles
Large salad with DELICIOUS raw dressing a friend made
small piece vegan cheesecake
handful of popcorn while at a movie

Yesterday afternoon I had a great opportunity to work through some emotional issues and actually felt TONS better all afternoon and into the evening. It was such a GIFT!! As I was saying my prayers yesterday, each prayer was one of gratitude for even the small moments of reprieve. It really helps me get through so much to try to find that space of gratitude.

I must admit that when I feel so GROSS, it seems OUTRAGEOUSLY hard for me to be grateful. I am still in awe that life seems to be SO much better when I feel better. I was telling a friend a few days ago that when I prayed in the past, I really felt like a beggar but.....now I think I understand what the scriptures state about being a true beggar. Most days I am having a hard enough time just getting a few things done. I feel truly blessed to be able to understand a bit better what exactly the Savior is teaching when he is teaching the idea of the beggar. At this point in time, I have a VERY hard time making it through the day without begging to the Lord for help and mercy. I find that when I do this, the world then seems feels a bit brighter, more peaceful and easily bearable. God's grace is truly sufficient for us all. Such a BEAUTIFUL thing!!

The other was very hard and a good friend (who much have been inspired ) sent me an AWESOME video that helped keep me inspired and open to striving to stay in gratitude. It can be found at www.gratefulness.org. The whole website is A LOT of FUN!! I would recommend reading through it. It will help uplift your day and bring gladness to your heart. I want to share the video with you all. It is quite appropriate for Thanksgiving and will help us get prepared to truly understand what giving THANKS really means.

And one more that is just as inspiring and BEAUTIFUL!! Please share these with others and pass along all the goodness, gratitude and LOVE they share with us!!

Have a HAPPY weekend!! I hope this isn't too many videos for today. I just LOVE them and really wanted to share some of what I have found to help me find peace and LOVE in my heart each and everyday.

Abundant peace to all,
Rachel

by Rachel Talley